Aggiornamento 17/05/2026

The first Large Flake Acheulean in Europe at Revilleja de Valparaíso site, Hortigüela, Spain, di F. J. García-Vadillo et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 383, 1 July 2026, article: 109977 - open access -

Revilleja de Valparaíso (Hortigüela, Burgos, Spain) is a Large Flake Acheulean (LFA) lithic assemblage on the Iberian Peninsula that is crucial for understanding the technical traditions on which the European Acheulean in the Early Middle Pleistocene was founded. These lithic industries were discovered in an alluvial deposit that has been dated to 696 ± 32 ka (MIS 17), using Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclides (680 ± 60 ka) and Electron Spin Resonance on quartz (702 ± 32 ka), and forms the base of a higher degraded terrace, whose strath is currently preserved at +29-30 m above the River Arlanza (Duero basin). It is a strategic location that conserves a quartzite lithic assemblage with large cutting tools (LCTs) frequently knapped on flakes. (…)

Revolution, modernity, and the dispersal of Homo sapiens beyond Africa, di H. S. Groucutt, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 383, 1 July 2026, article: 109981 - open access -

In the recent past, evolutionarily speaking, every other kind of hominin, from the Neanderthals of western Eurasia to the ‘hobbits’ of Flores, became extinct while our species prospered and spread across the world, from remote islands to high mountains. Understanding how, why, and when this global spread of Homo sapiens occurred is a major question in human evolutionary studies. While there is broad agreement on our African origin and subsequent global expansion, currently fossil, genetic, and archaeological data and perspectives on the details of this process are, if not actively contradictory, then certainly uncomfortable bedfellows. In part, this uncertainty reflects the profound spatial and temporal biases in currently available archaeological, fossil, and genetic samples. (…)

A Late Pleistocene human tooth from Khutul Usny Cave (FV 8), Mongolia – New evidence for early occupation of Eastern Central Asia by Homo sapiens, di M. Masojć et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 383, 1 July 2026, article: 109994 - open access -

Due to the extreme climatic and environmental conditions unfavorable to survival, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is considered to be a time of depopulation in most of Mongolian territory. Archaeological evidence of human presence around the LGM period is scarce, and human fossils are absent. Here, we present a newly discovered human tooth from the Khutul Usny Cave - site FV 8, in the Gobi Altai region of Mongolia, indirectly dated to ∼31-28 ka cal BP. It is a permanent maxillary right lateral incisor most likely belonging to a Homo sapiens individual. Besides the skullcap from Salkhit, this tooth is the second fossil of an early Homo sapiens in Mongolia and the first with secure archaeological and geological context. (...)

Life during the Mesolithic in the Cantabrian region: new carbon, nitrogen and strontium isotopic data from dentine sequences and enamel from Los Canes Cave (Asturias, Northern Spain), di A. Higuero-Pliego et alii, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 18, issue 6, june 2026, article number 132 - open access -

The Mesolithic period has a long history of study in the Cantabrian region (Northern Iberia) due to the relatively high concentration of human remains dating to this period. Previous analysis of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes focussed on bone collagen, useful in broadly characterising Mesolithic diet, and particularly in identifying distinct inland and coastal diets. But this long-term average view does not permit the study of variation throughout the year that we might expect to see in hunter-gatherer diets. In this study, we present new radiocarbon dates and sequential dentine data from Los Canes Cave (Asturias), as well as some of the first enamel strontium isotope results for the area. All the new and old radiocarbon dates fell within the 6th millennium, indicating the long use of Los Canes for funerary activity. (…)

What Is the Acheulean? di M. H. Moncel et alii, "Evolutionary Anthropology", volume 35, issue 2, june 2026 - open access -

The Acheulean represents the longest cultural period known to human history, lasting globally for more than 1.75 million years. It may have emerged as early as 1.95 Ma in Africa, spreading throughout much of the continent and then into Eurasia and lasting up to 350–200 ka in western Europe and South Asia, and even later in eastern Asia. Originally defined in the 1870s, the term Acheulean is one of the earliest and most contested classifications in prehistoric archaeology. Almost 150 years after its first appearance, it remains a source of continuous debate. This paper summarizes roundtable discussions that took place at the Musée de l'Homme (Paris) in November 2025 that focused on the meaning of the Acheulean and the diversity of its manifestations across Eurasia. Some 20 researchers, from various institutions across Europe, Asia, and the Pacific participated in this event, during which it became clear that the Acheulean had different meanings to the participants. (…)

Expanding Homo erectus, di D. Biggs, B. Farkas, B. Wood, "Evolutionary Anthropology", volume 35, issue 2, june 2026

We focus on three researchers—Davidson Black, Franz Weidenreich and Ralph von Koenigswald—who have made major contributions to the recovery of the fossil record of the hominin taxon now known as Homo erectus. Black was responsible for the recognition of Sinanthropus pekinensis and for the recovery of the initial hypodigm from Choukoutien*. Almost all of the original S. pekinensis fossils were lost during the Second World War, but the precise documentation and meticulous descriptions prepared by Franz Weidenreich substantially mitigate their loss. (…)

Differential Taphonomic Behavior of Flint Types: Experimental Insights and Implications for the Middle Stone Age Assemblages of Wadi Lazalim in the Northern Sahara (Kebili, Tunisia), di O. Scancarello et alii, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", volume 33, issue 2, june 2026, article number 23 - open access -

Several syn and post-depositional processes are responsible for different degrees of site and assemblage formation and disturbance. Understanding the processes that lead to archaeological site formation is essential for interpreting past human activities, settlement patterns, and occupation dynamics. Among these processes, water flow is commonly recognized as a major factor influencing site and assemblage formation and integrity. Lithic taphonomy can add valuable information to the understanding of these natural processes. To better evaluate how different flint types react to both mechanical and chemical stresses, we carried out controlled and sequential experiments on knapped flint artifact replicas. (…)

The First Occupations of Western Europe: Dispersals and Population Dynamics in the Early to Middle Pleistocene, di C. Cucart-Mora et alii, "Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory", volume 33, issue 2, june 2026, article number 19 - open access -

The occupation of Western Europe is part of a greater process, the first “Out of Africa”. Within this process, a wide chronological gap is documented between the first occupations in Asia and those in Western Europe. The earliest occupations of Western Europe are dated around 1.4–1.2 Ma and located in Southern Europe, in the Iberian Peninsula and Italy. A punctuated advance towards the North is discerned with the first occupations in England being as old as 0.9 Ma. Through a synthesis of up-to-date literature, this paper aims to provide an updated, robust and more integrated understanding of the processes that shaped the earliest human occupations of Western Europe. Throughout our review and analysis, the early occupation of Western Europe is revealed as a complex, multi-phased process marked by episodic population incursions and turnovers. (…)

Paleoenvironmental and behavioral insights into firewood selection by early Middle Pleistocene hominins, di E. Allué, N. Goren-Inbar, Y. Melamed, B. Urban, N. Alperson-Afil, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 382, 15 june 2026, article: 109973 - open access -

The control of fire offered early hominins significant advantages, yet its identification in early archaeological sites is challenging. A new anthracological study at the early Middle Pleistocene site of Gesher Benot Ya'aqov (GBY) offers valuable insights from an exceptionally large assemblage of charcoal. Taxonomic analysis reveals a diverse range of habitats, including species such as Fraxinus, Salix, Vitis, Nerium, Olea, Quercus, Pistacia, and Punica granatum. The charcoal exhibits greater taxonomic diversity than other plant remains from the site (wood, seeds, fruits), and this high diversity is notably spatially concentrated within a specific charcoal cluster. The charcoal from GBY reveals habitual firewood gathering, likely driven by the availability of lakeshore driftwood. The demanding task of maintaining fires likely shaped hominin base camp selection. The GBY hominins repeatedly occupied the lakeshore, choosing this specific point in the landscape not only due to the availability of raw materials, fauna, flora, and fresh water, but also to the availability of firewood. (…)

Marine mammals and body ornaments in the Upper Palaeolithic: a rare example of a seal tooth pendant from Kents Cavern, Devon, U.K., di S. A. Parfitt, L. Crété, R. Dinnis, C. Lucas, B. Chandler, S. M. Bello, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 382, 15 june 2026, article: 109902 - open access -

Personal ornaments, such as beads and pendants, played a crucial role in Upper Palaeolithic societies, representing social status, cultural identity, and individual expression. This study describes an intensively worked, perforated, and polished tooth of a grey seal discovered during William Pengelly's 1867 excavation at Kents Cavern, UK, a unique find within the British context but with parallels to similar items found at Upper Palaeolithic sites in France and Spain. Our analysis represents the first investigation of an Upper Palaeolithic seal tooth pendant, integrating zooarchaeological methods with 3D and CT imaging techniques. This innovative approach sheds light on the manufacturing process, use, and post-depositional history of this artefact. Wear traces suggest the pendant was suspended from a cord and worn for an extended period. (…)

A review of European Middle Pleistocene hominin evolution, di A. Rosas, A. García-Tabernero, J. A. Alarcon, J. F. Pastor, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 381, 1 june 2026, article: 109951 - open access -

The European Middle Pleistocene hominin record plays a central role in debates on evolutionary processes underlying the origin and emergence of the Neanderthal lineage, yet it remains characterized by pronounced morphological variability and persistent taxonomic uncertainty. Over the last decades, this record has been interpreted through a wide range of evolutionary models that differ in their assumptions about population continuity, demographic inputs and the geographical provenance of hominin groups. These models include: (1) basic continuity scenarios deriving Middle Pleistocene populations from indigenous Early Pleistocene groups; (2) total replacement models invoking complete population turnover; (3) coexistence models proposing multiple contemporaneous lineages; (4) eastern source–sink and CADE models based on recurrent dispersals from Southwest Asia; (5) west-to-east expansion models suggesting a western European origin for key Neanderthal traits; and (6) dual Acheulean-source models positing independent dispersals into different regions of Europe. (…)

Combining paleocurrents and sea level in a least-cost pathway model of human dispersal from Sunda to Sahul, 65–45,000 years ago, di M. Borreggine et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 381, 1 june 2026, article: 109950

This article examines the migration from Sunda to Sahul 65,000 to 45,000 years ago. The timing, methodology, and location of the migration have implications for early human communication, technology, and settlement. This movement through the Wallacean Archipelago constitutes the first known great oversea migration by early humans. We aim to determine optimal departure times and pathways from Sunda to Sahul taken by Late Pleistocene migrants given environmental inputs. We use global- and regional-scale climate models, a gravitationally self-consistent sea level model, and a least-cost pathway (LCP) model to consider the role of surface ocean currents, island intervisibility, and time at sea in the passage. The Community Earth System Model simulates initial and boundary conditions for the MIT General Circulation Model, which produces paleo-ocean currents. (…)

Swartkrans Paranthropus and Sterkfontein Australopithecus from southern Africa had different locomotor repertoires, di M. Cazenave et alii, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 19 may 2026, vol. 123, no. 20, e2532193123 - open access -

Southern African hominin fossils traditionally attributed to Paranthropus robustus and Australopithecus africanus are differentiated from each other by their dentition and cranial architecture, but their postcranial anatomy has typically been regarded functionally as broadly similar (i.e., terrestrial bipedalism with some degree of arboreal locomotion). Testing the hypothesis of a similar locomotor repertoire between these two taxa has been complicated by a lack of postcranial fossils attributable to P. robustus. Here, we detail our comparative examination of the internal bone anatomy of a recently described c. 1.8 Ma P. robustus articulating femur and tibia, which suggests distinct patterns of joint loading and locomotor behavior. (…)

Geoarchaeology at La Sima Cave. A multi-analysis approach to the Middle Paleolithic during MIS 3 in southern Iberia, di J. A. Caro-Gómez et alii, "Quaternary International", volume 764, 15 may 2026, 110209

Since the 2010s, archaeological investigations at the La Sima Cave site (Seville, Spain) have documented an extensive geoarchaeological record characterized by the presence of paleontological remains, hearth structures, and Paleolithic lithic industries. The primary objective of this study is to conduct a geoarchaeological analysis of the “Galería Antigua” sector of the site, based on the examination of several stratigraphic profiles. Through the application of soil-sedimentological, archaeological, and geochronological analytical techniques, distinct geoarchaeological units (GAUs) have been identified. (…)

Earliest evidence for invasive mitigation of dental caries by Neanderthals, di A. V. Zubova et alii, 13 may 2026, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0347662 - open access -

Neanderthal medical knowledge has long attracted scholarly interest. Evidence suggests they cared for sick, injured, and elderly group members, with possible use of medicinal plants. However, it remains uncertain whether such practices reflect deliberate medical strategies or instinctive self-medication akin to that observed in non-human primates. Here, we analyze and interpret traces of deliberate artificial manipulation of Chagyrskaya 64, a Neanderthal lower left second molar found in Chagyrskaya Cave (Altai Krai, Russia). The tooth exhibits a large human-generated concavity on the occlusal surface, created during the lifetime of the individual. Traceological and microtomographic analyses of the observed modifications, combined with experimental verification, reveal that the concavity in Chagyrskaya 64 is indicative of the earliest documented instance of caries treatment involving the drilling/rotating with a lithic perforator, ca. 59 ka. (…)

Climatic mechanisms underlying a southwestern French Neanderthal refugium at the onset of the last glaciation, di M. F. Sánchez Goñi, F. d’Errico, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 12 may 2026, vol. 123, no. 19, e2610884123

Fotiadou et al. (1) present compelling archaeogenetic evidence for a major demographic contraction of Neanderthals followed by a re-expansion across Europe originating from a refugium in southwestern France around ~65 ka. This result significantly advances our understanding of Late Neanderthal population dynamics. However, the study leaves unresolved a key question: Why did a refugium emerge at relatively high latitude in southwestern France, rather than in the southern European peninsulas that acted as refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and later served as sources for the recolonization of Europe (2, 3)? We suggest that this apparent paradox can be explained by the specific climatic configuration affecting the western European margin during the onset of glaciation (~76 to 68 ka), as documented by multiproxy paleoclimatic records from the Bay of Biscay (…)

Swartkrans Paranthropus and Sterkfontein Australopithecus from southern Africa had different locomotor repertoires, di M. Cazenave et alii, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 11 may 2026, 123 (20), e2532193123, doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2532193123 - open access -

Southern African hominin fossils traditionally attributed to Paranthropus robustus and Australopithecus africanus are differentiated from each other by their dentition and cranial architecture, but their postcranial anatomy has typically been regarded functionally as broadly similar (i.e., terrestrial bipedalism with some degree of arboreal locomotion). Testing the hypothesis of a similar locomotor repertoire between these two taxa has been complicated by a lack of postcranial fossils attributable to P. robustus. Here, we detail our comparative examination of the internal bone anatomy of a recently described c. 1.8 Ma P. robustus articulating femur and tibia, which suggests distinct patterns of joint loading and locomotor behavior. (…)

Raw Material Sourcing Analyses of Ochre and Stone Tools from the Middle Stone Age site of Mwulu’s Cave (Limpopo, South Africa), di G. Mauran, D. Masia, T. Hodgskiss, F. Colino Polo, Z. Jinnah, P. de la Peña, "Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology", volume 9, issue 1, december 2026, article number 21, 07 may 2026 - open access -

Southern Africa’s Middle Stone Age saw major breakthroughs in early human technology and culture, including heat treatment of stone and ochre use. These practices emerged during MIS 5 (130–71 ka) and reflect growing social cohesion and shared traditions within hunter-gatherer communities. By forming distinct communities of practice, these groups passed down knowledge and skills, shaping cultural evolution across diverse regions. Lithics and ochre have often been studied separately, thus, research combining their provenance remains rare. This study presents the joint analysis of both materials from Mwulu’s Cave (Limpopo, South Africa), using exploratory pXRF, petrography, SEM-EDS, and PIXE to trace their origins. (…)

"PaleoAnthropology", volume 2026, issue 1, 2026-05-08, doi: https://doi.org/10.48738/2026.iss1:

- A Reinvestigation of the Upper Paleolithic Postcranial Human Remains from the La Rochette Rock Shelter (Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, France), di D. Naumann, K.  Harvati, pp. 1-27

- Does Point Size Matter? How Morphometric Arguments Impact Evolutionary Models of Paleolithic Weaponry, di J. Coppe, V. Rots, pp. 28-51

- Taphonomic Analysis of Early Pleistocene Fossil Localities of the Olteţ River Valley, Romania, di  S. Curran et alii, pp. 52-81

- A Refined Chronology for the Middle–Upper Paleolithic Transition at Kozarnika Cave (Bulgaria) 40–50,000 Years Ago, di R. Hopkins et alii, pp. 82-98

- The New Neanderthal Fossil Sample from Grotta Guattari, Monte Circeo (Italy): A Preliminary Synopsis, di A. Sperduti et alii, pp. 99-121

- Symbolism Without Symbols? The Unsoundness of the Artifact to Symbol Inference in Paleolithic Archaeology, di K. Kuipers, M. Soressi, H. Zwart, pp. 230-244

Early evidence for a stable and flexible foraging niche in the evolution of Homo, di F. Forrest et alii, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 4 may 2026, 123 (20), e2537631123, doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2537631123

Major evolutionary transitions in Homo (e.g., increased brain size, complex social behavior) are linked to reliance on high-quality foods. Increased meat consumption likely contributed to this shift, but whether hominins practiced carcass acquisition and processing strategies consistently across time and environments remains unclear. The Koobi Fora Formation spans much of the Plio-Pleistocene and is central to reconstructing the ecology of early Homo. However, zooarchaeological research has focused almost entirely on the Okote Member (~1.56 to 1.38 Ma), while the KBS Member (~1.87 to 1.56 Ma) has yielded important hominin fossils but relatively few faunal assemblages comparably well preserved for similar analysis. (…)

Les enfants néandertaliens grandissaient plus vite que ceux des Homo sapiens, 2 mai 2026

La grotte d’Amud est un gisement du Paléolithique moyen, situé dans la vallée du Nahal Amud, à environ 5 km au nord-ouest de la mer de Galilée, dans le rift de la mer Morte. À une altitude de 110 m sous le niveau actuel de la mer, la grotte se trouve à environ 30 m au-dessus du fond de la vallée. Située dans la haute Galilée orientale, la grotte d’Amud se trouve dans la zone écologique méditerranéenne, caractérisée par un paysage en mosaïque dont la végétation varie considérablement en fonction de l’altitude et de la disponibilité en eau. Au total, les restes de seize individus, tous néandertaliens, dont la majorité était constituée de dents isolées et d’os longs fragmentés, ont été mis au jour. Ils proviennent des couches du Paléolithique moyen de la grotte d’Amud. Parmi eux, on observe une forte présence de nourrissons et de jeunes enfants, un phénomène qui, à première vue, contraste avec les schémas de mortalité observés chez Néandertal. (…)

The last Acheulean at El Sotillo complex site (Ciudad Real, Spain). Features, parallels and age, di M. Santonja et alii, "Quaternary International", volume 763, 1 may 2026, 110196 - open access -

The site of El Sotillo has several distinct stratigraphic levels containing Acheulean and Mousterian lithic tools, dated to the final third of the Middle Pleistocene and the later phases of the Upper Pleistocene. It is uncommon to find open-air sites, that preserve such intensive and recurrent human occupations in stratigraphic position over an extended time range, which underscores the complex nature of the site. Excavations carried out between 2017 and 2019 have enabled the integration of El Sotillo into the broader geological and geomorphological context of the area. They have also made it possible to establish the stratigraphic sequence, document its archaeological complexity, and obtain numerical dates that define its chronology. (…)

Cranial Morphology of a 21,000-Year-Old Homo sapiens From Southwest China, di S. Lin, Y. Zhao, S. Xing,  "American Journal of Biological Anthropology", volume 190, issue 1, may 2026, e70265

This study reports a new hominin cranium, dated to 21,000 years ago, offering novel insights into the evolutionary pattern of the cranial morphology of the East Asian Homo sapiens over the past 40,000 years. The cranium (22IVPP-H-Cr01) was scanned and virtually reconstructed. Its morphology was described and compared primarily with other fossil H. sapiens. To better contextualize cranial variation, specimens of Homo heidelbergensis, East Asian late Middle Pleistocene archaic Homo, Homo neanderthalensis, and recent H. sapiens were also added to the comparative sample. Additionally, cranial measurements were conducted on the 22IVPP-H-Cr01 and compared with those of other taxonomic groups to assess its evolutionary status through principal component analysis. (…)

"Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 18, issue 5, may 2026:

- Evolving entanglements with highland southern Africa: Site formation, initial chronology, and occupational pulsing during the Middle Pleistocene at Likonong Shelter, Lesotho, di K. Pazan et alii

- Examining indicators of hunter-gatherer mobility in arid environments: The example of the final Middle Paleolithic site of Besor 37 (Northern Negev, Israel), di M. Goder-Goldberger et alii

- Unretouched flake production as a characteristic of the pre-Still Bay at Sibhudu Cave, South Africa, di R. Matsileng Moll, L. Wadley

- Changing subsistence strategies during the MSA I and MSA II: a zooarchaeological analysis of the vertebrate fauna from the Witness Baulk at Klasies River Main Site: South Africa, di A. Pearson, S. Wurz, K. L. van Niekerk, J. P. Reynard

- Handaxe diversity at the end of the Acheulean: The character and significance of handaxe assemblages from MIS 9 Britain in European context, di A. Rawlinson, F. Foulds, C. Shipton, N. Ashton, L. Dale, M. White

"Two tribes": Handaxe shape variation shows distinct regional cultural groups in southeastern Britain between 424000 and 374000 BP, di M. White, F. Foulds, A. Rawlinson, C. Shipton, R. Davis, N. Ashton, "Journal of Quaternary Science", volume 41, issue 4, may 2026, pages 602-621 - open access -

This paper examines regional and chronological variations in Acheulean handaxe morphology during Marine Isotope Stage 11 (c. 425–365 ka BP) in Britain. Using a data set of 737 handaxes from 13 securely dated sites in East Anglia and the Thames Valley, we apply three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis to examine morphological variability. Our results show that two distinct handaxe forms were present in different areas of Britain during MIS 11: sub-stage MIS 11c assemblages in East Anglia are dominated by ovate handaxes with twisted edges, while contemporaneous Thames Valley assemblages are characterised by pointed forms. By sub-stage MIS 11a, Thames Valley sites shift to ovate handaxes with twisted edges, whereas East Anglia now shows a predominance of pointed forms. (…)

Elucidating the use of rhinoceros teeth by Neanderthals: Between experiments and the fossil record, di A. Sanz-Royo et alii, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 214, may 2026, article: 103829 - open access -

The use of faunal remains as tools by Neanderthals has long intrigued researchers. These remains include mammal teeth, which are particularly durable and resistant. Nevertheless, there is a significant gap in taphonomic analysis of dental remains, and archaeological experiments with tooth tools remain scarce. Recent studies suggest that Paleolithic groups may have used rhinoceros teeth as tools. This work seeks to elucidate this question by applying a multidisciplinary approach, including taphonomic and traceological analyses using various microscopic imaging techniques. We applied this approach to several rhinoceros teeth from key archaeological, paleontological, and contemporary collections. (…)

Local environmental change and fallow deer hunting at Amud Cave: Evidence from a combined plant wax and tooth enamel isotope study, di C. Zeigen, E. Hovers, A. Brittingham, M. T. Hren, M. P. Richards, R. Rabinovich, G. Hartman, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 214, may 2026, article: 103830 - open access -

Neanderthal presence in the southern Levant has raised questions regarding behavioral flexibility and adaptation strategies across diverse climatic and ecological settings. The association of most Levantine Neanderthal sites with the last glacial period has led some researchers to frame their presence and subsequent disappearance from the region as climatically driven. Increasingly, the use of site-specific paleoenvironmental proxies and recognition of Neanderthal behavioral complexity are challenging simple climate-driven explanations, suggesting resilience to ecological impacts. Amud Cave is a key Levantine Middle Paleolithic site documenting Neanderthal occupation from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 through early MIS 3. Its two discrete occupation phases provide a framework for comparing local environmental dynamics across fluctuating glacial conditions. Here, we present an isotopic study of fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica) tooth enamel and plant waxes extracted from archaeological sediments directly associated with Neanderthal activity. (…)

Corrigendum to “The site of Notarchirico (Venosa Basin, Italy) and the hominin behaviour in the Middle Pleistocene: New insights from taphonomy and spatial archaeology” [J. Hum. Evol. 211 (2026) 103789], di A. Pineda, B. Mecozzi, A. Iannucci, P. Saladié, M. Carpentieri, R. Sardella, M. H. Moncel, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 214, may 2026, article: 103838

The influence of cognitive evolution on handaxe making skill in the Acheulean, di A. Muller, C. Shipton, G. Sharon, L. Grosman, "Journal of Archaeological Science", volume 189, may 2026, article: 106539 - open access -

Reconstructing the complex human behaviours that manifest in the Palaeolithic archaeological record remains an elusive but important challenge for capturing traces of how the human mind evolved. The roughly 1.5 million years of handaxe-making throughout the Acheulean provides a consistently preserved manifestation of hominin technological skills. Here, we analyse 1108 3D scans of handaxes from 12 sites in the Great Rift Valley of eastern Africa and the southern Levant spanning much of the Acheulean. We set out to chart the evolution of Acheulean toolmaking skill using a suite of computational 3D methods to quantify how well these handaxes have been thinned, shaped, and sharpened; traits which demand manual dexterity, planning, and hierarchical cognition. (…)

Hunting for survival: Archaeozoological and taphonomic evidence for hunting practices at Vlakno Cave in the Terminal Pleistocene, eastern Adriatic, di A. Barbir, S. Radović, D. Vujević, "Quaternary International", volume 762, 30 april 2026, 110202

Vlakno Cave, located in the central part of the eastern Adriatic, preserves an undisturbed Palaeolithic and Mesolithic sequence. Excavations revealed a rich faunal assemblage dating to the Late Upper Palaeolithic. Given the geomorphological sensitivity of the Adriatic region to climatic and environmental fluctuations, this study investigates hunting strategies during the final phase of the Upper Palaeolithic. Through archaeozoological and taphonomic analyses, we examined prey selection across Strata 5 and 4, transport decisions, and the exploitation of carcasses. The results indicate that red deer remained the principal prey in both strata, while the younger stratum shows an increase in small mammals (fox, hare) and a decline in larger herbivores (equids, bovids). (…)

Halibee member archaeology: Middle Stone Age environment, technology, and postmortem modifications, di Y. Beyene et alii, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 28 april 2026, vol. 123, no. 17, e2534441123

The Middle Awash study area of Ethiopia’s Afar Rift features a composite stratigraphic thickness of >1 km. Near the top of this succession lie sediments of the lower Halibee member, comprising the Faro Daba and Chai Baro beds. The former are radioisotopically dated to ~100,000 y in age and contain abundant fossils and associated lithic artifacts representing the Middle Stone Age (MSA). Geological, paleontological, and archaeological datasets recovered from these sediments enlarge a sparse later Pleistocene record of African human evolution, a time before anatomically modern populations of our species expanded into Eurasia. The Faro Daba occurrences comprise the richest, least disturbed, and most spatially extensive of many open-air MSA-bearing localities in the study area and beyond. Protected atop a resistant underlying conglomerate, the largely horizontal outcrops of the soft, eroding fossiliferous Faro Daba sediments provide spatially extensive access to in situ assemblages of artifacts and fossils. (…)

Neanderthal brain and cognition reconsidered, di P. Thomas Schoenemann, R, L. Holloway, J. Hong Gao, G. Yang, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 27 april 2026, 123 (19), e2426638123, doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2426638123

Neanderthal endocrania are different in shape, though slightly larger in size than modern humans on average. These shape differences have long been used to suggest Neanderthals differed cognitively from modern humans, e.g., by having inferior linguistic/symbolic ability, poorer executive function, and/or smaller episodic and working memory capacity. However, whether the morphological differences in their brains inferred from their endocrania indicate truly meaningful cognitive/behavioral differences—with real evolutionary implications—is not clear. Recent work using deformation mapping techniques suggested there had been significant brain differences between Neanderthal and the anatomically modern Homo sapiens (amHs) that were contemporary with them. (…)

From Stasis To Cyclic Variation: the Chronological Arrangement of the Mousterian in southwest France and Modes of Culture Change in the Late Middle Palaeolithic of western Europe, di P. Van Peer, "Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology", volume 9, issue 1, december 2026, article number 20, 21 april 2026 - open access -

The interpretation of Mousterian lithic variability patterns has been a long-standing issue in Palaeolithic archaeology. After a critical review of the variability debate, this paper reports on a novel examination using a large set of chronometric dates available for Mousterian sequences of southwest France and taking the long culture-stratigraphic succession of Combe-Grenal as a reference. This examination reveals a threefold recurrence of the same succession of Mousterian assemblage types across the entire region concerned. A surprisingly similar cyclic pattern in the succession of analogical typological constellations is evidenced in the late Micoquian sequence of Sesselfels Cave in Germany, suggesting that it may be a shared feature of both techno-complexes and rekindling the issue of their taxonomic distinction. (…)

New genetic evidence from Stajnia Cave reveals the oldest Neanderthal group reconstructed in Central-Eastern Europe, 20 apr 2026

An international study published in Current Biology presents the results of the analysis of ancient mitochondrial DNA obtained from eight Neanderthal teeth discovered in Stajnia Cave, Poland. For the first time, the research reconstructs the genetic profile of a small group of Neanderthals from the same site, north of the Carpathians, who lived during the same ancient chronological phase. “This is an extraordinary result because, for the first time, we are able to observe a small group of at least seven Neanderthals from Central-Eastern Europe who lived around 100,000 years ago,” says Andrea Picin, professor at the University of Bologna and coordinator of the research. “In most cases, Neanderthal genetic data come from single fossils or from remains scattered across different sites and periods. At Stajnia, by contrast, it has been possible to reconstruct a small group of individuals, providing for the first time a coherent genetic picture of Neanderthals in this part of Europe.” (…)

The Middle Palaeolithic of the Pindos Range and its Neighbouring Areas: New Evidence from SMR1 (Samarina, western Macedonia, Greece), di J. Gennai, P. Biagi, M. Ntinou, E. Starnini, N. Efstratiou, "Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology", volume 9, issue 1, december 2026, article number 19, 13 april 2026 - open access -

The Middle Palaeolithic record of the southern Balkans is largely known from open-air surface scatters that are often difficult or impossible to date and lack a clear stratigraphic context. In the area close to the Pindos range, only two sites—Theopetra cave and Asprochaliko rockshelter—yielded stratified Middle Palaeolithic deposits, while Kokkinopilos presents partial stratification, although artefacts from older excavations remain difficult to contextualise. Information on surface scatters is generally limited to typological assessments, with little insight into depositional processes or spatial distribution. SMR1 (Samarina, western Macedonia) represents an exceptionally large Middle Palaeolithic assemblage recovered from erosional patches. The site is on a terrace overlooking the Samariniotikos River located at 1517 m a.s.l. (…)

Shell game: Neanderthal use of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in the Last Interglacial landscape of Neumark-Nord (Germany), di S. Gaudzinski-Windheuser, S. Böll, A. Griesch, L. Kindler, W. Roebroeks, "Scientific Reports", 08 April 2026, volume 16, article number: 8628 - open access -

Data on palaeolithic subsistence is often obtained through studies of faunal palimpsests, containing remains of animal processing activities accumulated over non-quantifiable amounts of time. Compounding such site-specific data with evidence from other sites distributed over large areas - i.e. integrating data spanning large temporal as well as spatial scales - results in coarse-grained reconstructions of past prey diversity. In contrast, here we present prey diversity data from what is—geologically speaking—a “snapshot” of a ~ 25-hectare area frequented by Neanderthals during the Last Interglacial, with a focus on their exploitation of the pond terrapin Emys orbicularis. These data constitute the first evidence of turtle exploitation by Neanderthals north of the European mountain chains, beyond the Mediterranean basin. (…)

Carved in stone: Experimental criteria for identifying Paleolithic bas-relief production techniques and sculptors’ expertise, di É. Brochard, L. Doyon, L. A. Courtenay, G. Tosello, L. Geis, F. d’Errico, 1 april 2026, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0346099 - open access -

Paleolithic bas-relief is a rare yet technically demanding form of parietal art whose production methods and skill requirements remain poorly understood. Investigating their production is essential because carving methods and required skills reveal the degree of technical investment, cognitive planning, and craftsmanship mobilized by prehistoric artists. This study presents the first integrated experimental, qualitative, and quantitative investigation of their manufacture. Using Coniacian limestone blocks, we replicated 19 carving modalities, covering pecking, scraping, polishing, engraving, and sequential combinations, executed by participants ranging from novices to a professional sculptor. Each surface was documented through high-resolution photography, Reflectance Transformation Imaging, and 3D scanning, then analyzed via standardized descriptive criteria, roughness measurements, and elliptical Fourier analysis of engraving profiles. Results show that some techniques, such as pecking and engraving, leave distinctive traces, while scraping and polishing often produce overlapping surface signatures, especially when techniques are superimposed. (…)

Middle Paleolithic Bone Technology at the Abri Suard Site (Charente, France), di E. Téllez, A. Rodríguez-Hidalgo, L. Doyon, K. Genuite, D. López-Onaindia, N. Sala, "Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology", volume 9, issue 1, december 2026, article number 17, 01 april 2026 - open access -

Bone tools provide key insights into the technological behaviors of Palaeolithic human groups, as they exemplify the closely integrated relationship between subsistence practices and technological strategies. Far from being limited to the processing of animal carcasses for nutritional purposes, faunal remains were deliberately selected, modified, and incorporated into toolkits. This is particularly evident in retouchers and soft hammers, well-documented implements in Middle Paleolithic contexts that are often produced by recycling butchery by-products. The Abri Suard site (Charente, France) has provided evidence of ancient Neanderthals in western Europe, featuring evidence of bone tool technology, including at least 62 retouchers and 3 soft hammers from a total of 6,496 analyzed faunal remains. (…)

Nonmetric Traits at the Enamel-Dentine Junction and Crown Tissue Proportions of Canines and Premolars in Neandertals and Modern Humans: Impact of Sample Composition on Taxonomic Discrimination, di G. Becam, T. Chevalier, T. Colard, "American Journal of Biological Anthropology", volume 189, issue 4, april 2026, e70239

This study assesses the efficacy of analyzing nonmetric traits at the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) and tissue proportions of upper and lower canines and premolars to distinguish Neandertals from modern humans. It also evaluates the impact of sample composition and size for taxonomical analyses.
The sample includes 386 teeth (115 Neandertals, 271 modern humans). Nonmetric trait frequencies at the EDJ were recorded using a fossil adapted ASUDA system. Enamel and dentine-pulp volumes, EDJ surface area and dental tissue proportions in crown (3DAET, 3DRET, %Vcdp) were measured. (…)

Neanderthal incursions at a high-altitude “bear cave”: Reassessing Caverna Generosa in the southern Alps, di D. Delpiano, L. Angiolini, M. Peresani, F. Bona, "Journal of Quaternary Science", volume 41, issue 3, april 2026, pages 380-399

High-altitude “bear caves” provide unique windows into Middle Paleolithic human behavior, often reflecting sporadic Neanderthal occupations in challenging alpine environments. In this study, we present updated evidence from Caverna Generosa, a “bear cave” situated at 1450 m a.s.l. in the Lombard Prealps, Italy. Our research integrates new lithic analyses with recent micromorphological and paleontological data, offering a comprehensive understanding of the site's occupational history. Radiometric recalibration of existing dates, combined with comparative analyses of other high-altitude Neanderthal sites, refines the chronological framework of these occupations in a late phase of the Middle Paleolithic. Although sparse, the lithic assemblages from Caverna Generosa provide valuable insights into Neanderthal technological behaviors. (…)

A comparative multivariate analysis of spatial clustering in Neanderthal and anatomically modern human occupations, di A. Merino-Pelaz, L. Cobo-Sanchez, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 213, april 2026, article: 103825 - open access -

Neanderthal and anatomically modern human (AMH) occupations have long been hypothesized to differ in spatial organization, yet multisite quantitative comparisons remain scarce. Here we use cluster modeling to quantify four spatial metrics (parent intensity κ, cluster scale s, cluster strength ϕ, and sibling probability p) from 21 Middle Paleolithic (MP) and Upper Paleolithic (UP) assemblages, spanning cave and open-air contexts. We combine these metrics into two principal axes—compactness vs. dispersion and clustering scale—and assess their relationship to cultural period, site context, hearth counts, and functionality through regression analyses. Our results show that cultural affiliation is the strongest and most consistent predictor: UP sites are significantly more compact than MP ones, independent of context or occupation features. (...)

The lithic assemblage from the 700,000-year-old butchery site of Kalinga (Luzon Island, Philippines): New insights into technological variability in the Early Paleolithic in Island Southeast Asia, di J. Guibert et alii, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 213, april 2026, article: 103828

Despite a long history of archaeological and paleoanthropological research, our understanding of the Early Paleolithic in Island Southeast Asia remains limited as only a few sites with clear stratigraphic contexts—Mata Menge (Flores Island), Ngebung 2 (Java Island), Calio and Talepu (Sulawesi Island)—have been documented. This scarcity of well-stratified assemblages has led to a poor characterization of technological variability and cultural sequences, which mainly rely on surface collections and early typological classifications/facies (e.g., Pacitanian, Cabengian, Cabalwanian, Liwanian, Arubian, etc.). These classifications, mostly based on a handful of cobble artifacts, have long obscured the technological diversity of early hominin settlements in the region. The Kalinga site (Luzon Island, Philippines), dated to ca. 709 ka, provides a rare opportunity to examine an Early Paleolithic assemblage in a secure stratigraphic context. (…)

The axis (C2) from El Sidrón and its implications for Neanderthal upper cervical spine form, di C. A. Palancar, M. Bastir, D. García-Martinez, A. García-Tabernero, A. Rosas, "Journal of Human Evolution", volume 213, april 2026, article: 103816 - open access -

The atlas (C1) and axis (C2), the two first vertebrae of the spine, are key elements of the axial skeleton as they link the skull and the postcranium. As such, several works have focused on this region in earlier hominins (Gómez-Olivencia et al., 2007; Beaudet et al., 2020) and nonhuman Primates (Nalley and Grider-Potter, 2017). However, the study of the upper cervical spine of Neanderthals has been only included in more systematic works (Gómez-Olivencia et al., 2013; Haeusler et al., 2019), with the exception of the study of Palancar et al. (2020b). The latter presented the atlases from El Sidrón (Asturias, Spain) and compared them with other Neanderthals and modern humans, showing differences (see below) between them. (…)

Archaeogenetic insights into the demographic history of Late Neanderthals, di C. M. Fotiadou et alii, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 31 march 2026, vol. 123, no. 13, e2520565123 - open access -

The demographic history of Neanderthals is only partially understood. In Europe, some degree of genetic continuity has been shown from 120 thousand years ago (ka) onward despite the occurrence of multiple subsequent diversification events. While it has been proposed that a population turnover preceded the emergence of Late Neanderthals in Europe, the extent, timing, and geographic location of this event are currently unknown. Here, we report ten mitochondrial DNA sequences (mtDNAs) of Neanderthal individuals from six archaeological sites in Belgium, France, Germany and Serbia, and analyze them alongside 49 published mtDNAs. The integration of phylogenetic and molecular dating analyses with an extensive archaeological dataset enabled us to reconstruct temporal and spatial patterns in Neanderthal distribution. (…)

A high-coverage Neandertal genome from the Altai Mountains reveals population structure among Neandertals, di D. Massilani et alii, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", 31 march 2026, vol. 123, no. 13, e2534576123 - open access -

We present a genome sequenced to ~37-fold genomic coverage from an approximately 110,000-y-old male Neandertal from Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains and analyze it together with previously published Neandertal genomes of high quality. We show that he belonged to a population more closely related to a ~120,000-y-old Neandertal from Denisova Cave than to Neandertals in Europe or to a ~80,000-y-old Neandertal from Chagyrskaya Cave in the Altai Mountains. Both Neandertals from Denisova Cave show evidence of gene flow from Denisovans, a pattern not seen in later Neandertals from the Altai region or from Western Europe. The extent of chromosomal regions of homozygosity in Neandertals from the Altai region between 120,000 and 80,000 y ago indicates that they lived in smaller and more isolated groups than later Neandertals in Europe (54,000 to 40,000 y ago). (…)

A Multi-Isotope Approach to Early Childhood Palaeolithic Diet and Provenance from a Magdalenian Individual from Northern Iberia, di A. Higuero-Pliego et alii, "Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology", volume 9, issue 1, december 2026, article number 14, 31 march 2026 - open access -

Multi-isotope analysis on various body tissues is increasingly used in archaeology and palaeontology to provide valuable information about an individual’s life-history at different temporal resolutions (isobiographies). This paper presents the dietary and mobility reconstruction and anthropological study of a recently identified Magdalenian child from Los Canes cave (Asturias, Spain), through conventional osteological analysis, sequential stable carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) isotope analysis of tooth dentine and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) analysis of tooth enamel from an upper deciduous canine, accompanied by δ13C and δ15N measurements of bone collagen from an incomplete mandible, posited to belong to the same individual. (…)

Replication as Salvation: The Politics of Open Science and the Recurring Allure of Scientism in Deep-Time Lithic Studies, di S. T. Hussain, "Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology", volume 9, issue 1, december 2026, article number 15, 31 march 2026 - open access -

There is a nascent body of literature in deep-time lithic studies that has declared replication as a primary, perhaps an overriding, aim of research, diagnosing the field to be affected by the so-called replication crisis across the sciences, and positioning reproducibility and replicability at the core of what (lithic) science ought to be. This paper examines this emerging debate, its rhetorics, and its underlying normative and epistemological commitments. I caution against the tendency to muster replication as a new-found yardstick or gold standard of scientificity, to conflate science with replication, and to thereby overlook the broader knowledge-making interests and goals of the field as a whole. I propose that current debates on replication are strongly premised on a specific vision of what science is, which not only appears to be anachronistic but also threatens to promote dangerous tropes of scientism and to restrict the scope of lithic inquiry, hence conflicting with core values such as epistemic diversity and justice long deemed central to scientific pursuits. (…)

Comparing Neanderthal Introgression Maps Reveals Core Agreement But Substantial Heterogeneity, di Y. Chen, K. Velazquez-Arcelay, J. A. Capra, "Molecular Biology and Evolution", volume 43, issue 3, march 2026 - open access -

Statistical methods to identify Neanderthal ancestry in modern human genomes rest on varying assumptions and inputs. Nonetheless, most studies of introgression use only a single method to define Neanderthal ancestry. Due to a lack of “ground truth,” we have a limited understanding of the accuracy, comparative strengths and weaknesses, and the sensitivity of downstream conclusions for these methods. Here, we performed large-scale comparisons of 14 genome-wide introgression maps computed by 11 representative Neanderthal introgression detection algorithms: admixfrog, ArchaicSeeker2, ArchIE, ARGweaver-D, CRF, DICAL-ADMIX, hmmix, IBDmix, SARGE, Sprime, and S*. (...)

The Tagus Valley Rock Complex, Portugal: A chronological proposalLe complexe d’art rupestre de la vallée du Tage, Portugal: une proposition chronologique, di S. Garcês, "L'Anthropologie", volume 130, issue 1, january–march 2026

The Tagus Valley Rock Art Complex in central Portugal constitutes one of the most extensive concentrations of open-air engravings in Europe, comprising nearly 7,000 figures distributed across 12 sites along 40 km of the Tagus River basin. First documented in 1971, the complex preserves a long and continuous artistic sequence ranging from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Late Bronze Age. Early documentation efforts, especially the large-scale latex mould programme of the 1970s, enabled the preservation and study of a vast corpus of motifs despite the submersion of many panels following the construction of the Fratel dam. (...)

Art rupestre des Alpes Cottiennes: peintures et gravures préhistoriquesRock art in the Cottian Alps: Prehistoric paintings and engravings, di D. Seglie, Piero Ricchiardi, "L'Anthropologie", volume 130, issue 1, january–march 2026

Le CeSMAP de Pinerolo, en Italie, Centre d’Études et Musée d’Art Préhistorique, a été fondé en 1964 afin de poursuivre les études archéologiques menées au XIXe siècle dans les Alpes occidentales par des chercheurs de l’Académie royale des sciences de Turin. Dès sa création, le CeSMAP a ressenti le besoin d’étendre ses recherches au-delà de son champ d’action initial afin de mieux contextualiser et comprendre un phénomène archaïque caractéristique de l’arc alpin : l’art rupestre. Ce domaine constitue un objet spécifique et un axe de spécialisation de la recherche archéologique du CeSMAP. Le Piémont est bordé à l’ouest par la chaîne alpine, formée par des poussées orogéniques survenues au Tertiaire dans le bassin méditerranéen. (…)

Un nouvel ensemble de manifestations pariétales sur le panneau principal de la grotte de Tito Bustillo (Asturies, Espagne)A new set of parietal manifestations on the main panel of the Tito Bustillo cave (Asturias, Spain), di Á. Ibero, M. Polledo González, "L'Anthropologie", volume 130, issue 1, january–march 2026

Cet article présente un ensemble inédit de manifestations pariétales situées sur le Panneau Principal de la grotte de Tito Bustillo. Les travaux de documentation ont permis de révéler l’existence de nombreuses gravures, peintures et dessins représentant certains des thèmes les plus fréquents de l’art cantabrique (notamment biche, cheval, aurochs ou signes), ainsi que d’autres beaucoup plus exceptionnels (ours, félin ou figure féminine). L’analyse de la stratigraphie pariétale, combinée à la contextualisation de leurs caractéristiques formelles, a permis d’identifier une séquence graphique complexe et étendue qui contribue à esquisser certains des mécanismes de construction graphique récurrents ayant participé à la construction continue du Panneau Principal pendant plus de vingt mille ans. (…)

Aggiornamento 29/03/2026

Rock Art uranium-thorium and radiocarbon cross-dating at Altamira cave, Spain, di E. Pons-Branchu et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 379, 1 may 2026, 109900 - open access -

For the first time, systematic coupling of 230Th/234U and 14C dating methods was performed on secondary carbonate thin layers covering or underlying rock art from Altamira cave, Spain. Analyses were performed on the same carbonate samples weighing only a few milligrams, in order to compare the dates obtained on the same fraction by the two methods. Depending on the location of the carbonate samples above or under the representations, minimum or maximum ages were respectively obtained. This intercomparison was undertaken as previous results showed that 230Th/234U ages obtained on calcitic parietal deposits in other caves were in some cases older than the 14C ages obtained on the same samples. This was confirmed in the present study, where we furthermore found that the oldest 230Th/234U ages were those of the samples with the lowest uranium content, suggesting that uranium loss is the mechanism responsible for age bias. (…)

Sex determination in fossil hominin remains is often challenging due to the fragmentary nature of the record and the limitations of morphological assessments. In this study, we apply a proteomic approach to assess the sex of an upper second molar (RV’23-350) from the Middle Pleistocene site of Ruidera (Spain). By analyzing the presence of amelogenin, a key enamel protein encoded by genes on both the X and Y chromosomes, we provide molecular evidence supporting the classification of this fossil as belonging to a male individual. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first application of amelogenin-based sex estimation in European Middle Pleistocene hominin teeth. (…)

We present early Pleistocene burial ages of the ‘Ubeidiya Formation sediments in the Jordan Valley, a segment of the Dead Sea Rift Valley. A minimum age of ~1.1 Ma is constrained both by paleomagnetic analysis and U-Pb dating of Melanopsis shells. Simple cosmogenic burial ages (i.e., one very long exposure period followed by one period of burial) calculated from the ratios of 26Al to 10Be and 10Be concentrations indicate ages of ~3 Ma, contradicting the geological and paleomagnetic constraints as well as a reasonable age of the ‘Ubeidiya archeological site, as it contains human remains. A more sophisticated way of treating the results, by combining numerical modeling of cosmogenic nuclide build up during repeated burial-exposure cycles, paleomagnetic analysis (indicating reverse polarity) and a minimum burial age of 1.1 Ma set by U-Pb dating of Melanopsis shells, suggests two most probable time slots (1.19-1.77 and 1.93- 2.14 Ma) for the absolute age of the ‘Ubeidiya Formation. (...)

Wind(ow) of change: The end of the Middle Stone Age and the beginning of the Later Stone Age at Umhlatuzana rockshelter showcasing concurrent technological and techno-economic shifts, di  V. C. Schmid, I. Sifogeorgaki, T. Abruzzese, S. Blik, L. Huang, G. L. Dusseldorp, "Quaternary Science Reviews" volume 377, 1 april 2026, 109806 - open access -

The site of Umhlatuzana rockshelter contains a key sequence documenting developments in human behaviour from ∼70 ka throughout the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Re-excavation of the site yielded high-resolution lithic assemblages that clarify the character of the end of the Middle Stone Age and the beginning of the Later Stone Age at the site. We performed a technological analysis of this lithic material across the transition from Middle to Later Stone Age. We show that this transition took place more rapidly than previously assumed. The change from the Middle to Later Stone Age is characterized by concomitant shifts in raw material provisioning, reduction strategies and tool corpus. (...)

The evolution of the cave's entrance of Bruniquel and consequences for its accessibility by early Homo neanderthalensis, di K. Génuite et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 377, 1 april 2026, 109866 - open access -

The cave of Bruniquel, discovered by cavers in 1990, contains the oldest evidence of deep cave use by early Homo neanderthalensis. The discovery and dating of speleothem-based structures and fireplaces demonstrated their ability to investigate the deep subterranean environment in a structured way (Jaubert et al., 2016). The cave has been closed by a succession of rockfalls, flowstone layers and scree cone deposits, which led to the preservation of multiple traces of human and animal activity inside the cave. We studied the cave entrance evolution through a multidisciplinary integrated geomorphological approach, combining 3D surveys inside and outside the cave system, high-resolution geomorphological mapping, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), and U-series dating. (…)

A stable environmental niche for humans in the southern Levant 70–40 ka, di M. Abbas et alii, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 377, 1 april 2026, 109855

Environmental drivers were likely key to human dispersals from Africa into and throughout Eurasia, but the effect of such drivers on human biogeography has yet to be resolved at high-resolution on a regional scale. Here, we probe the Levantine-Arabian region for environments favourable to human forager groups around 50 ka when a demographic wave surged across Eurasia imprinting the ancestry of all non-Africans living today. We present a set of 33 optically stimulated luminescence dates demonstrating more than 50,000-years of persistent riverine wetlands on the eastern margin of the Jordan Rift Valley at Hamra Faddan and Wadi al-Hasa—the latter hosting stratified Middle Palaeolithic artefacts indicative of frequent human presence. (…)

The heavy connection: Decline in heavy-duty tools correlates with megaherbivore disappearance in the Paleolithic Levant, di V. Litov, M. Ben-Dor, R. Barkai, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 377, 1 april 2026, 109872 - open access -

Early Paleolithic (ca. 2-0.2 mya) lithic assemblages are marked by the recurrent presence of diagnostic heavy-duty tool classes, namely, handaxes, chopping tools, cleavers, core/massive scrapers and shaped stone balls. In the Levant, heavy-duty technologies disappear almost entirely after the Lower-Middle Paleolithic transition, which coincides with major developments in novel light-duty toolkits and technological innovations. In this study, we sought a possible connection between these significant changes in lithic technologies and local animal taxa availability fluctuations. The results indicate that departure from heavy-duty technologies co-occurred with a significant drop in the relative abundance, NISP distribution, and contribution to biomass of megaherbivores (>1000 kg) after the Lower Paleolithic. (…)

Spatial resilience and population replacement in Europe during MIS 3: a comparative study of Neanderthals and H. sapiens, di A. Burke, E. Pomeroy, T. Poisot, B. Albouy, S. Paquin, "Quaternary Science Reviews", volume 377, 1 april 2026, 109850 - open access -

Homo sapiens dispersed out of Africa several times during the Late Pleistocene. The most recent dispersal event, which began around 60,000 years ago, resulted in the permanent establishment of Sapiens populations in Europe, followed by the disappearance of Neanderthals from the archaeological record. Various hypotheses suggest that the process of population replacement in Europe was influenced by climate change, habitat dynamics, demographic processes, and/or competitive exclusion. To test these hypotheses, we use habitat suitability modeling and GIS tools to predict the optimal distribution of Neanderthal and Aurignacian populations in Europe during stadial and interstadial events of Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) and reconstruct their regional networks. (…)

The Late Mesolithic juveniles of Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov, Russia: New insights from mortuary data, di O. Batanina, V. Moiseyev, E. Murphy, N. Stewart, A. Zubova, K. Mannermaa, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 18, issue 4, april 2026, article number 84 - open access -

Juveniles remain a largely underexplored socio-biological category in Mesolithic mortuary research, despite their potential to shed light on social values and community dynamics. The burial site at Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov (YOO), Karelia, Russia, the largest known Mesolithic burial site in Northeastern Europe, provides a unique opportunity to explore the mortuary treatment of children and adolescents. This study uses osteoarchaeological methods in addition to enamel peptide analysis for the determination of biological sex to investigate how juveniles were perceived at different life stages and the role that biological sex may have played in these perceptions. (…)

Biomass tar, Podocarpus leaves and the diversity of southern African Stone Age adhesives – new data from Elands Bay Cave, di P. Schmidt, A. Charrié-Duhaut, E. February, J. Parkington, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 18, issue 4, april 2026, article number 82 - open access -

Adhesives are among the most informative archaeological artefacts for understanding the behaviour of Stone Age forages. In the southern African Middle and Later Stone Age, the botanical origin of most adhesives was identified as conifers of the genus Podocarpus. One of these identifications of Podocarpus adhesives comes from Elands Bay Cave. However, it has recently been shown that similar adhesives can be, and were, produced from many plants available on the southern African subcontinent, opening important questions about the role of Podocarpus within these plants. Here, we re-investigate the Elands Bay Cave adhesive record and compare it to natural and experimentally produced adhesive substances, using infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. (…)

New insights into a Solutrean innovation. Understanding technological behaviour and socio-economic organization of Upper Palaeolithic groups through lithic heat treatment studies and experiments, di J. Bachellerie, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 18, issue 4, april 2026, article number 79

During the Recent Solutrean (Middle and Upper phases), chert heat treatment in southwestern France reflects a significant yet unevenly applied technical innovation within Upper Palaeolithic societies. A combined analysis of macroscopic traces, experimental replication, and techno-economic data from over twenty lithic assemblages reveals that heat treatment was primarily associated with the production of laurel-leaf points and applied selectively to specific chert types, i.e. Tertiary lacustrine varieties. While heating improved knapping efficiency – particularly for pressure flaking and bifacial thinning – its rare and context-specific occurrence suggests a high-cost process integrated into a complex chaîne opératoire. (…)

New insights into Neanderthal subsistence strategies in northern Iberia: The faunal assemblage of level XXc of El Castillo Cave (Cantabria, Spain), di N. Abellán-Beltrán, J. Marín-Hernando, F. Bernaldo de Quirós, A. Mingo-Alvarez, "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences", volume 18, issue 4, april 2026, article number 78 - open access -

The study of Neanderthal subsistence in northern Iberia through zooarchaeological analysis of faunal assemblages is a pivotal issue for the comprehension of the population dynamics of this human species. In this regard, El Castillo Cave has been an essential site for research on Middle Palaeolithic settlements in the Cantabrian region. From this perspective, the Mousterian level XXc of El Castillo provides relevant information for the comprehension of Neanderthal behaviour, subsistence strategies and human-carnivore interactions. Through the study of the faunal assemblage of this level, we establish the hunting spectrum of Neanderthal groups, identifying different strategies depending on the species, with a specific selection of prime adult individuals for red deer and an unselective strategy for large bovids and horses, with transport strategies focused on limb bones. (…)

The La Ferrassie site, a reference locality for Neandertal paleobiology and Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition, has yielded numerous hominin remains over more than a century of excavations. Among them, the La Ferrassie 1 (LF1) skeleton, discovered in 1909, is one of the most complete individuals attributed to Homo neanderthalensis. Nevertheless, its precise stratigraphic context and chronological attribution remain uncertain due to outdated excavation methods and sparse archival documentation. In this study, we integrate archival research, paleoproteomics, and radiocarbon dating to reassess the age and depositional context of LF1. We examined 64 faunal bone fragments stored with LF1 at the Musée de l’Homme, Paris, selecting six for radiocarbon dating after taxonomic identification via paleoproteomics. (…)

This study investigates Acheulean industrial variability through the lens of lithic raw material provisioning. It harnesses macroscopic and microscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to identify and characterize the raw materials used to knap artefacts excavated from Rodafnidia, a Lower Palaeolithic site on central-south Lesvos Island, Greece, and surface artefacts collected from Rodafnidia and two adjacent findspots, Glyfias and Bi Tsesme in the southeast rim of the Kalloni Gulf. The study employs geological surveying to map primary and secondary local sources of the knappable rocks present in the assemblages under investigation, and examines patterns of procurement, use and management. (…)

The Aurignacian technocomplex of the Early Upper Palaeolithic remains a long-standing focal point for understanding the expansion of modern humans across Europe. Diagnostic assemblages occur across vast swathes of the continent, suggesting the existence of broadly connected groups and traditions around 43–32 ka cal BP. However, while its extensive distribution is often regarded as proxy evidence for the spread of modern human groups, artefact assemblages are known to be synchronically and diachronically variable in ways that reveal an inconsistent representation of diagnostic traits. In the Iberian Peninsula, this variability is exemplified by an idiosyncratic material record in which diverse Aurignacian assemblages occur alongside undiagnostic or ‘culturally indeterminate’ ones, leading many Aurignacian occupations to be disputed. In this paper, we assimilate this regional record through quantitative analyses of techno-typological attributes from all sufficiently published and chronologically relevant assemblages of the Early Upper Palaeolithic. (…)

Along the flow resources in aquatic ecosystems during prehistory and protohistory, Genova 24-25 Marzo 2026, “Incontri Annuali di Preistoria e Protostoria” n. 14

The use of Nassariidea shells as personal ornaments is attested to an increasing number of Middle Stone Age (MSA) archaeological sites in northern and southern Africa. The chronological extent of this behavior is constantly moving back in time; currently, the oldest evidence has been identified at the Bizmoune cave site in Morocco back to the MIS 6. Although these evidences make it possible to refine the spatial and temporal distribution of this behavior, shell beads remain rare in Middle Stone Age assemblages and are generally composed of several beads, or at best dozens, for each of these sites. This restricts our understanding of the behaviors specifically related to the collection, selection and preparation phases of shells, and potentially limits our understanding of their use. In this article, we studied shell beads from MSA layer US 8 from the coastal archaeological site of El Mnasra Cave (Rabat-Témara, Morocco). (…)

We present a genome sequenced to ~37-fold genomic coverage from an approximately 110,000-y-old male Neandertal from Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains and analyze it together with previously published Neandertal genomes of high quality. We show that he belonged to a population more closely related to a ~120,000-y-old Neandertal from Denisova Cave than to Neandertals in Europe or to a ~80,000-y-old Neandertal from Chagyrskaya Cave in the Altai Mountains. Both Neandertals from Denisova Cave show evidence of gene flow from Denisovans, a pattern not seen in later Neandertals from the Altai region or from Western Europe. The extent of chromosomal regions of homozygosity in Neandertals from the Altai region between 120,000 and 80,000 y ago indicates that they lived in smaller and more isolated groups than later Neandertals in Europe (54,000 to 40,000 y ago). (…)

Levallois technology is a particularly skilful and cognitively intensive lithic technology where preparatory core shaping is aimed at producing predetermined flake blanks. It has significant implications for hominin evolution and dispersals, yet remains notoriously difficult to define relative to other prepared cores. Significant variability in prepared core techno-morphology is often rendered into a handful of rarely agreed upon discrete categories. We ask whether existing classifications of cores are immutable, discrete groups, or whether there are unbroken continua of prepared core variability. With a bespoke set of 3D computational methods, we directly quantify the criteria used to define Levallois technology. Applied to a diverse sample of prepared cores from five African MSA sites, these methods establish continua of prepared core preparation, recurrence and exhaustion.(…)

The Late Gravettian Moravany-Podkovica site is famous for the discovery of the female figurine known as the Venus of Moravany in the 1920–1930s. The site from which it is thought to have originated is located in the prehistoric settlement area of Moravany nad Váhom in western Slovakia. The eastern slopes of the village of Moravany, located in the heart of a micro-region with favourable climatic conditions created by local geothermal springs, have yielded more than a dozen open-air sites, found on the surface or within loessic deposits, and dating from the Szeletian, Gravettian and Epigravettian periods. The rediscovery of old excavation archives and recent work on reorganising and studying the available collections have informed our planning of renewed excavations at Podkovica. (…)

Birch tar is well-documented for its use as an adhesive in the Middle Palaeolithic of Europe, but other uses remain poorly explored. Drawing from recent arguments suggesting multimodal uses of products such as ochre and birch tar, this study tests the antibiotic properties of birch tar produced experimentally with methods reconstructed from Middle Palaeolithic birch tar finds from Europe. Made from the bark of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens, widely documented for the European Late Pleistocene, we produced birch tar samples using an underground pit method, a condensation method, and a modern tin can method. The birch tar samples were tested for antibiotic properties using the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion antibiotic assay. The resulting inhibition zones, ranging from no effect to 10.5 ± 0.7 mm with a mean of 7.5 ± 0.17 mm, indicate a moderate effect against the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium widely known for its role in wound infections. We further establish that the efficacy of antibiotic properties is not related to the production method, with all methods showing a degree of variation. (…)

During the 2019–2022 fieldwork in the Hučivá diera Cave in the Slovak part of the Tatras, the settlement of the Magdalenian community was identified. The analysis of the obtained materials significantly expanded data collection on the eastern province of this culture in Central-Eastern Europe. Multiple analytical techniques have been used to describe the cultural and ecological background of that site. The discovery of the Hučivá diera Cave led to the conclusion that, at the end of the Pleistocene, during the Bölling warming, the Magdalenian hunters adapted quickly to the changing habitat and were able to inhabit this cave and recognise the advantages of that site, which included possibilities to hunt Alpine ibex and process the skins of hunted animals. (…)

- Corrigendum to “High mountains, Late Palaeolithic hunting. The case of Hučivá Diera Cave in the Tatra Mts. (West Carpathians)” [Quaternary International 758 (2026) 15 (2026) 110151], 30 March 2026

While Oldowan technology cannot be divorced from its ecological contexts, examining its socio-cultural scaffolding remains an important endeavor for developing a holistic perspective towards its evolutionary significance. Methods from the chaîne opératoire and techno-functional approaches have been adapted and applied to various Earlier Stone Age or Early Paleolithic assemblages to understand their cognitive and technical implications. However, in South Africa, Oldowan collections have yet to benefit from these approaches, which we employ here. This paper applies a techno-functional (also called ‘morpho-structural’) and chaîne opératoire approach to examine cores and retouched pieces from Swartkrans Member 1 Lower Bank (SWT-M1LB) and Sterkfontein Member 5 East (STK-M5E). (…)

Paleolithic parietal art in the Dordogne, Southwestern France, was known to present representations solely made with mineral coloring matters. We found a significant number of carbon black-based figures in the galleries of the Font-de-Gaume cave in Les Eyzies, Dordogne, Southern France [I. Reiche, Y. Coquinot, A. Trosseau, A. Maigret, Sci. Rep. 13, 22235 (2023)]. Further reflectance imaging spectroscopy allowed a precise noninvasive discrimination between manganese- and carbon-based blacks. Consequently, in the Dordogne region, direct dating of drawn or painted lines was unlocked. Dating parietal representations can prove challenging because of the small amount of matter and the possible contaminations by other carbon sources. (…)

Prepared core technology is a defining feature of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) in Africa, yet classic preferential Levallois cores are rare in many southern African assemblages. The recent identification of Nubian Levallois cores – a well-defined prepared core strategy – at sites in the South African interior raises broader questions about how current terminologies may be shaping interpretations of Levallois in southern Africa. The open-air site of Tweefontein presents a large Nubian core assemblage together with a range of other prepared core forms, providing a unique opportunity to assess how Nubian cores fit within the broader spectrum of prepared core variability. (…)

As humans, we store and share information. This allows us to distribute knowledge necessary for survival and to coordinate large groups. Our hominin ancestors harnessed the surfaces of mobile artifacts and cave walls as information carriers since the Paleolithic time period. Theories abound as to the meaning and function of these Paleolithic signs. However, very little is known about their basic, measurable properties. We here analyze a corpus of more than 200 mobile objects of a 43,000 to 34,000 y old Aurignacian culture—associated with the first modern humans to settle in Central Europe. These objects are adorned with several thousand geometric signs. We apply classification algorithms and statistical models to capture their quantitative properties. First, our analyses illustrate that these sign sequences are clearly distinguishable from modern day writing. Second, however, their statistical properties are comparable to sign sequences on the earliest protocuneiform tablets. (…)

Le visage de l’australoithèque « Little Foot» reconstitué pour la première fois « Little Foot » est le fossile d’Australopithèque le plus complet jamais découvert. Grâce à lui, les chercheurs peuvent se faire une idée de l’apparence de ce groupe d’hominidés anciens. (…)

The engraved parietal art of Creswell Crags, discovered in 2003, remains the only example of Palaeolithic cave art in the U.K. and represents the northernmost signature of Upper Palaeolithic artistic behaviour. Despite its unique nature and significant advances in digital techniques used to evaluate parietal art, it has received limited academic attention in the past two decades since its discovery. We utilized a suite of digital modelling techniques (high-resolution photography, close-range photogrammetry, Reflectance Transformation Imaging) to reassess the art. (…)

Once thought to signal the emergence of 'modern human behavior’ in the archaeological record, recent research in parts of Africa, Eurasia, and Oceania has pushed back the timeline of when bone tool technology is thought to have originated and highlighted the sophistication of this ancient and global technology. From the unworked implements used by African hominins to gather subterranean foods, to the simple pointed tools that facilitated long-distance migration of peoples into colder climates, to the sophisticated use of bone by archaic and modern humans as a canvas to express appreciation of form and harness sound—the literature on this topic is expanding every year as discoveries from new excavations and long-curated collections are reported. Seldom, however, do we find in the literature a comprehensive perspective of the sheer diversity of functions to which bone was put in the Stone Age (and synonymous Paleolithic or Pleistocene) period. (…)

Textual analysis of 425 cases of endurance pursuit hunts (EPHs) found in ethnohistoric and ethnographic sources reveals the diversity, extent, and effectiveness of the endurance pursuit tactic. Endurance pursuits involve persistently running after an encountered animal, often for hours, until it can be subdued, the tactic frequently involving bouts of walking and tracking. Building on this definition, we assess the plausibility of five hypotheses that could account for the evolution of endurance pursuit strategies in hominins: i) optimization of subsistence efficiency, ii) risk minimization, iii) honest signaling of hunting prowess, iv) acquisition of alternative resources such as skin or fat, and v) procurement of game for spiritual reasons. Our test of these hypotheses also aids in delineating the contexts and factors that affect the success of EPHs. Crusted snow or high ambient temperatures favor the technique. (…)

Located in the northernmost part of Central Asia, the western foothills of the Altai Mountains (Western Siberia) represent to date the easternmost known boundary of Neanderthal distribution, far from their main cultural areas currently known in Western Eurasia. This geographic situation suggests the possibility of distinct cultural and biological traits in Altai Neanderthals. In this region, Chagyrskaya Cave contains the most substantial paleoanthropological collection, with 75 remains, including 20 craniodental elements attributed to at least eight individuals of varying ages (22 permanent teeth and four deciduous teeth), dating to between approximately 59 and 51 ka BP. Previous paleogenetic analyses suggest several individuals from this site are closely related. Our study is the first to comprehensively analyze the morphology of the entire set of dentognathic elements. (…)

Sex biases in admixture and other demographic processes are recurrent features throughout human evolution. For admixture between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans (AMHs), sex bias has been proposed as an explanation for the relative lack of Neanderthal ancestry in modern human X chromosomes compared with that in modern human autosomes. By observing a 62% relative excess of AMH ancestry in Neanderthal X chromosomes, we characterized the interbreeding between the two groups as predominantly male Neanderthals with female AMHs. (…)